While surfing the web I came across a very well written piece in the Harvard Crimson by Lumumba Seegars on his role as the token black.
Being the Token
One person cannot represent an entire race
Published On Friday, February 23, 2007 12:09 A.M.
Being the token black person is not fun. I am expected to be an authority on the lives of all black people. People think I represent all black people and black culture; however, at the same time, I’m supposed to rise above black culture.
What is the token black person? The token is not supposed to be your everyday black person. The token is the good black person. You know, the black person that doesn’t adhere to all the negative stereotypes of black people. People of other races feel a little less threatened by him. Apparently, the token is different from all the other black folk; however, he’s still black enough for people to mention his name when talking about diversity.
The token is expected to know about all things black—he’s your urban teacher. Though the token is not like other black people, he still understands them. If you’re from a place with no black people and your only exposure to them has been movies like “Get Rich or Die Trying,” then the token will be your one black friend that you feel you can trust. Don’t be fooled—it’s not that simple.
continue reading...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Each One Teach One
Today I was talking to a co-worker (who's White) about this blog and told him about the the poll. When he heard the second question, he gave me a puzzled look. He, like many people of all races, thought Black people didn't need suntan lotion. He thought Black people didn't get sunburned. I had to school him. Now, I must admit that I used to think the same thing. Growing up we didn't use sun tan lotion, but instead baby oil or cocoa butter. We weren't worried about sunburn. We were worried about ash. Not until I learned about pigmentation did I understand that Black people have a higher risk of getting skin cancer than any other race.
Melanin, the pigment that causes color, is in every one ( except for albino's). When White people don't use suntan lotion, their skin gets burned and turns red. The same thing happens to Black people. Instead of turning red, we get darker. We need just as much sun tan lotion as White people, if not more. Now there's nothing wrong , at least for me, with getting darker. It's just that it's not healthy. By using cocoa butter/baby oil/Vaseline, you're frying your skin, just like you fry chicken.
So put that cocoa butter down, pick up some sun tan lotion, and listen to this commentary on Skin Cancer Myths and the African-American Community.
Melanin, the pigment that causes color, is in every one ( except for albino's). When White people don't use suntan lotion, their skin gets burned and turns red. The same thing happens to Black people. Instead of turning red, we get darker. We need just as much sun tan lotion as White people, if not more. Now there's nothing wrong , at least for me, with getting darker. It's just that it's not healthy. By using cocoa butter/baby oil/Vaseline, you're frying your skin, just like you fry chicken.
So put that cocoa butter down, pick up some sun tan lotion, and listen to this commentary on Skin Cancer Myths and the African-American Community.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Welcome!!!
Welcome to the wonderful world of a token black girl. First off I must say that I didn't initially start off as a token but realized early on in life that that's what I was perceived as.
I was raised in the 'inner-city' (i.e. ghetto) but did not relate well to my peers. I participated in the standard ghetto past times, such as playing K.I.N.G., double-dutch,and catching lightening bugs, then progressed to Spades, Pitty Pat, and backgammon. I had no problem in middle school because it was a diverse crowd, but by the time I got to high school, I knew I was different.
Because I preferred standard English over Ebonics, and spending my lunch time in the classroom instead of the cafeteria, I was often harassed. Over the years I've managed to hold onto a few of my childhood friends that never labeled me, but my college experience did the opposite.
I learned that my personality led people to believe that I would marry a white guy, I would prefer listening to rock instead of going to 'da club', and that I'd rather spend my money on books than the latest fashions. These perceptions confused me because I had never blatantly opposed anything considered 'black', but when I got into the work field and acquired new friends, I saw that they were right all along.
I have never considered certain things to be only for Black people or only White People, but society doesn't think the same. Wikipedia says that tokenism refers to the practice of inclusion of a limited number of minorities to a group, and in fiction, it refers to a character that may be present, but has no effect on the overall plot. By that definition, I am not a token. But in my neighborhood I am because:
a) I have more friends that are non-Black than Black
b) I use my 'White voice' more often than not
c) I read Philadelphia Weekly instead of The Philadlephia Daily News
Some would say that I am an 'oreo' (Black on the outside, White on the inside), which I probably am, but in this area, I am a token.
I am not here to belittle, degrade, or offend.
I am not trying to be something that I am not.
And, I am not ashamed of my race.
Although I don't entirely agree with that label, I can't deny it because I am who I am.
So, enjoy, debate, laugh, or hang your head in shame. Do whatever. Just know that I am only telling you how I perceive the world that perceives me.
I was raised in the 'inner-city' (i.e. ghetto) but did not relate well to my peers. I participated in the standard ghetto past times, such as playing K.I.N.G., double-dutch,and catching lightening bugs, then progressed to Spades, Pitty Pat, and backgammon. I had no problem in middle school because it was a diverse crowd, but by the time I got to high school, I knew I was different.
Because I preferred standard English over Ebonics, and spending my lunch time in the classroom instead of the cafeteria, I was often harassed. Over the years I've managed to hold onto a few of my childhood friends that never labeled me, but my college experience did the opposite.
I learned that my personality led people to believe that I would marry a white guy, I would prefer listening to rock instead of going to 'da club', and that I'd rather spend my money on books than the latest fashions. These perceptions confused me because I had never blatantly opposed anything considered 'black', but when I got into the work field and acquired new friends, I saw that they were right all along.
I have never considered certain things to be only for Black people or only White People, but society doesn't think the same. Wikipedia says that tokenism refers to the practice of inclusion of a limited number of minorities to a group, and in fiction, it refers to a character that may be present, but has no effect on the overall plot. By that definition, I am not a token. But in my neighborhood I am because:
a) I have more friends that are non-Black than Black
b) I use my 'White voice' more often than not
c) I read Philadelphia Weekly instead of The Philadlephia Daily News
Some would say that I am an 'oreo' (Black on the outside, White on the inside), which I probably am, but in this area, I am a token.
I am not here to belittle, degrade, or offend.
I am not trying to be something that I am not.
And, I am not ashamed of my race.
Although I don't entirely agree with that label, I can't deny it because I am who I am.
So, enjoy, debate, laugh, or hang your head in shame. Do whatever. Just know that I am only telling you how I perceive the world that perceives me.
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